Imaginary Friend
by CobaltForge
Summary: Koishi keeps odd company. Koishi likes to play with umbrellas. Koishi likes the rain. Koishi DOESN'T like sadness. Koishi keeps going in circles. Over and over and over and over and over and over and ov... Koishi has a sister. (maybe kinda confusing but that's the intention. one shot)


Have you ever felt like something was watching you?

Like, you're walking somewhere by yourself, late at night, and you just have this sort of sensation where you feel like you're not _actually_ alone?

You keep looking over your shoulder, looking all around, and there's never anything there. Or you think you see something move quickly in the corner of your eye? Then you check, and of course, there's nothing.

It's just your imagination. There's nothing there. Nothing to worry about at all.

I look back.

About thirty meters back, a figure stands there, watching me.

I run.

Then, it's in front of me. It's closer now.

I stop for a moment. It doesn't move.

I turn around to run the opposi -

It's right there. Right in front of me. It's -

"Hi! How are you doing?"

It's a little girl.

"Hey, can you hear meeeeee? Are you ok?"

I don't say anything. What am I _supposed_ to say? I thought this was some animal or stalker or something, and then it - I mean, she - just checks up on my situation?

"Come ooooon. It's dark, y'know? There are lots of scary things out at night. Things that creep up on you and surprise you when you least expect it! Like an umbrella."

"...An umbrella…?" is all I manage to say in response; more than anything else, I am now confused.

"Yes! Just the other day, an umbrella jumped out of a bush at me! I stabbed her."

"I -"

The girl bounces up and down and smiles. "An umbrella! Do you have one?"

Needless to say, I'm completely not following this line of conversation.

I start walking the way I was going… the way I was going?

Where was I going?

"Hey, don't just _leave_ me. It's going to rain soon. You don't want me to get soaked, right? Can I borrow your umbrella?" The girl is behind me again.

Without even thinking, I motion as if to hand her something.

And now, she has an umbrella. Where did that come from? I, uh… did not have an umbrella on me...

She starts swinging it around like a sword. "Wow! This is so cool… Oh!"

It begins to rain. I try to grab the umbrella from the girl, or at least duck under it. But every time I approach, she vanishes and reappears a little further away.

"Hey! This is mine. If you don't wanna get wet, just tell yourself you're dry!"

More and more, I'm growing frustrated with this. I'd almost _prefer_ if I felt like I was being chased, than being rained on and made a fool of by this ghost girl.

The girl appears in front of me again. "Oh… you're sad and mad. Blue and red! You don't get it…? It goes like this."

She hands me the umbrella.

"It's about… how you think, but without thinking!" She starts spinning, and the rain stops. "If you want something to happen, it might just happen! I didn't get it at first either. But there's a big word about it. What was it?"

She strikes an exaggerated thinking pose, before looking like she's had a revelation.

" ** S** "

She strikes an exaggerated thinking pose, before looking like she's had a revelation.

"I don't really know the word, but like… it's about how you do stuff without knowing. Like me! I never know what I'm doing! Ever! You gotta believe me."

I hand her the umbrella again, but there's nothing to give her.

"Do you even know what you're doing now," I ask with my arms crossed, "if that's the case?"

She twirls the umbrella around and around. "Do you?"

"You're spinning an… wait. Where did that come from?"

She starts swinging it around like a sword. "Wow! This is so cool! ...Oh!"

She chuckles and looks me in the eyes. "What kinda question is that? You gave it to me, remember?"

Needless to say, I'm completely not following this line of conversation.

"Huh? Gave what to you?" I rub my eyes. My head hurts. "Who are you?"

" ** I** "

"Huh? Gave what to you?" I rub my eyes. My head hurts. "Who are you?"

"I'm you!" She laughs like she just heard a good joke. "Well, actually… maybe not. Who are you?"

"I asked first," I respond, with some agitation. She only shrugs in response.

I rub my eyes. My head hurts. Where was I going?

"I think... that way! But I can't really read your mind."

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"Not thinking. Behind you!"

I look back.

About thirty meters back, a figure stands there, watching me.

I run.

Thankfully, she's there, running with me. Or maybe floating next to me?

"Wow! She's fast." She's right, the person is gaining on us.

I start running faster, faster than I ever have before.

"You figured it out! You gotta follow your feelings."

She laughs. She's holding on around my neck, like it's a high-speed piggyback ride, but she doesn't weigh anything at all.

I can't see the figure anymore.

She hands me the umbrella.

I take it from her. "Thanks."

My head hurts.

The girl suddenly clutches her head, before collapsing to the ground.

It begins to rain. So, I give her the umbrella.

She takes it, but doesn't say anything.

A few days pass. Days turn to weeks, weeks turn to months, months turn to years.

It stops raining. Did it ever start?

She hands me the umbrella. "Thanks for giving me the umbrella!"

"You know, funny story about umbrellas… Just the other day, an umbrella jumped out of a bush at me! I stabbed her."

I laugh. It _is_ a funny story. Funny. Funny. Funny. y

"Alright!" Abruptly, she disappears. "I feel like playing with someone else. Don't forget about me, ok? We can catch up later!"

I wave goodbye, and continue walking.

"Wait!" I scold myself. "I can't believe it. I never got her name!"

My head hurts. You ever get that? Just, you know, a sudden pain in your head? Or...

Have you ever felt like something was watching you?

Like, you're walking somewhere by yourself, late at night, and you just have this sort of sensation where you feel like you're not _actually_ alone?

You keep looking over your shoulder, looking all around, and there's never anything there. Or you think you see something move quickly in the corner of your eye? Then you check, and of course, there's nothing.

It's just your imagination. There's nothing there. Nothing to worry about at all.

I look back.

Like always, there's nobody there.

It's a strange phenomena. Nobody knows why it occurs. There are lots of theories about why, though. It's something you can't explain, really - a sixth sense of sorts, some perception beyond what is normal or theoretically possible, or a view into some greater consciousness we haven't fully tapped into.

Some might call it

" ** "**

but i dont think so. i think it is something else

i mean. you dont actually know right. if someone is there

if your third eye is open you would know about all things. but im talking about not knowing

so the third eye is closed, actually. like. you dont know if theres anything there

…

i never know if anythings there.

i dont wanna know

i dont know.

i dont think so.

dont think

DONT THINK.

i closed my third eye long ago (good idea, right?)

now i dont thinkkkkkkk…

now im happy. ALWAYS happy

repeat. repeat repeat repeat happy. dont think. just be happy

be happy if it means NOTHING changes

theres no such thing as identity. no mind no personality

personality means im sad. sometimes happy, but more sad

why do that

when i can be happy

always.

always…?

...

Sis worries about me, but I have all sorts of friends. I come up with new ones every day.

"Yesterday was really good! I met someone. I don't remember what they looked like and I don't think they had a name, but they were really nice. They gave me an umbrella."

Sis smiles. "I'm glad to hear that, Koishi. Now, I think it's about time you eat, alright? I've had Orin cook up some nice veggies. You love veggies, right?"

"Yeah! I do. Oh, that reminds me! Something funny happened to me, sis. Just the other day, an umbrella jumped out of a bush at me! I stabbed her."

Sis shakes her head. "Please don't joke about stabbing people."

"Ok. I won't."

Sis looks at me. She looks surprised.

I think a little bit.

" **S I S ? "**

Her eyes open a little wider, all three of them.

" ** . "**

Sis looks away.

I look away too.

" **S I S . "**

" ** ? "**

She is, I think.


End file.
